Method for measuring 32P-labeled cAMP levels in intact tissue.

A new method has been developed for prelabeling tissue ATP pools with ³²P inorganic phosphate (P_i) and for the subsequent isolation of [³²P]cAMP and [³²P]ATP. The new method of prelabeling eliminates the need to separate trace amounts of radioactive cAMP from radioactive breakdown products of adenine formed in tissues prelabeled with [³H]- or [¹⁴C]adenine. The effect of epinephrine to increase [³²P]cAMP levels in rat ventral prostate tissue fragments has been studied in terms of increase in the ratio of [³²P]cAMP/[³²P]ATP in the absence and presence of various phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Tissue prelabeling with ³²P_i labels GTP as well as ATP (and other nucleoside triphosphates); thus the method lends itself to the isolation of [³²P]cGMP as well as [³²P]cAMP from the same tissue sample.     

Ontogeny of ppp(A2′p)nA-binding protein in mouse brain

Mouse brain tissue extracts at various stages of development show a drastic change in the specific activity of pp(A2′p)₂A-[³²P]pCp binding protein. Identification of the ppp(A2′p)₃A-[³²P]pCp binding protein was established by (i) binding to the specific ligand ppp(A2′p)₃A-[³²P]pCp, (ii) displacement of binding by nanomolar concentration of pppA(pA)₃, and (iii) affinity labeling techniques in which periodate oxidized ppp(A2′p)₃A-[³²P]pC was specifically cross-linked to a protein with a molecular weight of 86 000. These data suggest that the ppp(A2′p)₃A-[³²P]pCp protein is closely associated with the process of cellular proliferation and differentiation.     

A rapid method for the measurement of [γ-32P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts and its application to the study of 32Pi uptake in perfused rat heart

(i) A new, rapid method for the measurement of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts in the presence of other ³²P-containing compounds is described. The deproteinized extract is incubated with phosphorylase b and phosphorylase kinase, and the incorporation of ³²P into protein from [γ-³²P]ATP is measured by precipitation on filter paper in trichloroacetic acid. No separation of ATP or other treatment of the extracts is required for the assay. (ii) ³²P_i uptake in perfused rat heart was found to be a relatively slow process, with a K_m of 0.084 mm, whereas equilibration between intracellular ³²P_i and [γ-³²P]ATP occurred rapidly.     

A simple modification to an enzymic method for the preparation of[γ-32P]ATP free of salt and buffer

An existing enzymic method for preparing [γ-³²P]ATP from 32P_i has been modified toyield [γ-³²P]ATP free of salt and buffer. ³²P is incorporated into the γ-position of ATP by isotopic exchange in the presence of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase. Unreacted ³²P_i is separated from [γ-³²P]ATP by column chromatography on Dowex 1 bicarbonate. [γ-³²P]ATP is eluted with 2 m triethylammonium bicarbonate, which is then completely removed by freeze-drying.     

An easy and rapid method for the measurement of [γ-32P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts obtained from in vitro rat heart preparations labeled with 32Pi

A rapid method for the measurement of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts containing other ³²P-labeled compounds is described. The neutralized acid extract is incubated with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic AMP and casein. The incorporation of ³²P into casein from [γ-³²P]ATP is measured by perchloric acid precipitation of the protein on filter paper. ³²P-Casein formation is linearly related to the specific radioactivity of the [γ-³²P]ATP. Separation of ATP from other ³²P-labeled compounds is not required for the assay. Application of this method in the evaluation of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in two rat cardiac muscle preparations exposed to ³²P_i is demonstrated.     

Plasma membrane lipid metabolism of petunia petals during senescence

The specific activities of 6 enzymes, which are involved in the synthesis and catabolism of membrane lipids, were monitored in plasma membranes isolated from petunia petals during senescence. These included phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase (EC 2.7.1.67), phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP) kinase (EC 2.7.1.68). diacylglycerol (DAG) kinase (EC 2.7.1.107), phospholipase A (EC 3.1.1.4) and PIP- and PIP₂-phospholipase C˙(EC 3.1.4.3). Using endogenous substrate, the [³²P]PA and [³²P]PIP₂ formation increased to 140 and 200%, respectively, of the day 1 value by 4 days after harvest. There was no significant change in [³²P]PIP formation during the same time period. On the fifth day the petals wilted and the [³²P]PA and [³²P]PIP formation declined significantly. In contrast, the [³²P]PIP₂ formation remained high in the day 5 petals. When the lipid kinase activities were assayed in the membranes in the presence of exogenous substrate the specific activity of all of the enzymes increased. and the changes in [³²P]PA production over the 5-day period were similar to those observed with endogenous substrate. When exogenous PI and PIP were added, however, there was no longer an increase in [³²P]PIP₂ formation by plasma membranes of day 4 petals and [³²P]PIP formation significantly decreased. The relative decrease in PIP and PIP₂ formation by day 4 membranes when exogenous substrate was added may have resulted from differences in the lipase activities in the day 1 and day 4 membranes. The plasma membrane A-type phospholipase activity increased throughout the 5 day period, and phospholipase C activity increased two-fold between day 1 and day 4. Such changes in the metabolism of the plasma membrane lipids during flower senescence would affect the ability of the petals to use inositol phospholipid-based signal transduction pathways.     

Analysis of NAD+ in picomole amounts with sodium [32P]pyrophosphate and NAD-pyrophosphorylase.

A new method is described for the determination of NAD⁺ in picomole amounts. An enzymatic coupling system of NAD-pyrophosphorylase and hexokinase is used to convert sodium [³²P]pyrophosphate and NAD⁺ to [³²P]ADP, glucose 6-[³²P]phosphate, and NMN. The key step in this analysis is the selective adsorption of the reaction product [³²P]ADP, onto activated charcoal with a solution of 1m K₂HPO₄:10% trichloroacetic acid (1:3, v/v, pH 2). The range of concentrations of NAD⁺ that can be measured is 1–200 pmol. The simplicity of the method allows as many as 180 samples to be assayed in 4–5 h. This procedure has been used to quantitate NAD⁺ in crude extracts of germinating wheat embryos.     

An easy and rapid method for the measurement of [γ-P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts obtained from in vitro rat heart preparations labeled with Pi

A rapid method for the measurement of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts containing other ³²P-labeled compounds is described. The neutralized acid extract is incubated with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic AMP and casein. The incorporation of ³²P into casein from [γ-³²P]ATP is measured by perchloric acid precipitation of the protein on filter paper. ³²P-Casein formation is linearly related to the specific radioactivity of the [γ-³²P]ATP. Separation of ATP from other ³²P-labeled compounds is not required for the assay. Application of this method in the evaluation of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in two rat cardiac muscle preparations exposed to ³²P_i is demonstrated.     

Preparation of (beta-32P)ribonucleoside-5'-triposphates using permeable cells of Escherichia coli

A rapid method for the preparation of [β-³²P]ribonucleoside-5′-triphosphates is described. The method involves the incubation of a ribonucleoside triphosphate with ³²P_i and E. coli cells made permeable to nucleotides. The labeled triphosphates can be isolated by preparative thin layer chromatography on poly(ethylene)imine cellulose plates. Labeled GTP, CTP, and UTP obtained by this method are more than 99% pure [β-³²P]compounds. Labeled ATP contains about equal amounts of label in the β- and γ-phosphate position. Pure [β-³²P]ATP can be obtained from this preparation by exchanging the γ-³²P against unlabeled P_i and reisolating the labeled ATP by charcoal adsorption and elution.     

Agonist-induced desensitization of 5-HT2 receptors on cultured calf aortic smooth muscle cells

[³²P]Phosphatidic acid (PA)-formation was quantified in calf aortic smooth muscle cultures for measuring the activation of the signal transducing system coupled to the 5-hydroxytryptamine₂-(5-HT₂) receptor. [³²P]PA-formation was increased upon stimulation of smooth muscle cells with serotonin (5-HT) and 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOM), but not with the 5-HT₁ agonists N,N-dipropyl-8-hydroxy-2-aminotetralin and RU 24969. The potency of drugs to inhibit the 5-HT induced [³²P]PA-formation closely corresponded to their binding affinity for 5-HT₂ receptors. 24-Hour treatment of smooth muscle cultures with 5-HT or DOM resulted in a substantial decrease of 5-HT induced [³²P]PA-formation. In contrast to the anomalous 5-HT₂ receptor regulation in vivo, 5-HT₂ receptors on smooth muscle cells appeared to be desensitized by agonist treatment.     

The incorporation of 32Pi into intramitochondrial ADP fraction dependent on the substrate-level phosphorylation

1. A significant amount of ³²P_i is incorporated into ADP fraction if mitochondrial phosphorylation is allowed to proceed solely dependent on the endogenous adenine nucleotides even in the absence of uncouplers or inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation. This formation of [³²P]ADP is accompanied by a significant labelling of the GTP fraction as well as by a decrease in mitochondrial AMP.2. A good correlation, highly significant on a statistical basis, is obtained between the incorporation of ³²P_i into ADP on the one hand and the oxidation of [1-¹⁴C]glutamate to ¹⁴CO₂ on the other, under a wide variety of conditions of respiration, suggesting that the substrate-level phosphorylation linked to the oxidation of 2-oxoglutarate leads to the phosphorylation of AMP in rat liver mitochondria.3. Since intramitochondrial GTP is not directly labelled by the [³²P]ATP added, it is concluded that neither nucleoside diphosphokinase (ATP:nucleoside diphosphate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.6) nor adenylate kinase (ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3) is functioning in such an EDTA-containing medium as employed in the present study because of lack of the enzymes inside the inner membrane. This not only indicates that ATP never serves as a phosphate donor for the observed phosphorylation of AMP, but also, along with several other lines of evidence, lends strong support to the view that [³²P]GTP generated as a result of the substrate-level phosphorylation is a direct precursor of [³²P]ADP through the mediation of GTP:AMP phosphotransferase, which has been verified to be located inside the inner membrane by the significant labelling of GTP by [³²P]ADP.     

Ebselen is a potent non-competitive inhibitor of extracellular nucleoside diphosphokinase

Nucleoside di- and triphosphates and adenosine regulate several components of the mucocilairy clearance process (MCC) that protects the lung against infections, via activation of epithelial purinergic receptors. However, assessing the contribution of individual nucleotides to MCC functions remains difficult due to the complexity of the mechanisms of nucleotide release and metabolism. Enzymatic activities involved in the metabolism of extracellular nucleotides include ecto-ATPases and secreted nucleoside diphosphokinase (NDPK) and adenyl kinase, but potent and selective inhibitors of these activities are sparse. In the present study, we discovered that ebselen markedly reduced NDPK activity while having negligible effect on ecto-ATPase and adenyl kinase activities. Addition of radiotracer [γ ³²P]ATP to human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells resulted in rapid and robust accumulation of [³²P]-inorganic phosphate (³²Pi). Inclusion of UDP in the incubation medium resulted in conversion of [γ ³²P]ATP to [³²P]UTP, while inclusion of AMP resulted in conversion of [γ ³²P]ATP to [³²P]ADP. Ebselen markedly reduced [³²P]UTP formation but displayed negligible effect on ³²Pi or [³²P]ADP accumulations. Incubation of HBE cells with unlabeled UTP and ADP resulted in robust ebselen-sensitive formation of ATP (IC₅₀ = 6.9 ± 2 μM). This NDPK activity was largely recovered in HBE cell secretions and supernatants from lung epithelial A549 cells. Kinetic analysis of NDPK activity indicated that ebselen reduced the V _max of the reaction (K _i = 7.6 ± 3 μM), having negligible effect on K _M values. Our study demonstrates that ebselen is a potent non-competitive inhibitor of extracellular NDPK.     

The preparation and use of pyridoxal [32P] phosphate as a labeling reagent for proteins on the outer surface of membranes

Pyridoxal [³²P] phosphate was prepared using [γ-³²P]ATP, pyridoxal, and pyridoxine kinase purified from Escherichia coli B. The pyridoxal [³²P] phosphate obtained had a specific activity of at least 1 Ci/mmol. This reagent was used to label intact influenza virus, red blood cells, and both normal and transformed chick embryo fibroblasts. The cell or virus to be labeled was incubated with pyridoxal [³²P] phosphate. The Schiff base formed between pyridoxal [³²P] phosphate and protein amino groups was reduced with NaBH₄. The distribution of pyridoxal [³²P] phosphate in cell membrane or virus envelope proteins was visualized by autoradiography of the proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.The labeling of the proteins of both influenza and chick cells appeared to be limited exclusively to those on the external surface of the virus or plasma membrane. With intact red blood cells the major portion of the probe was bound by external proteins, but a small amount of label was found associated with the internal proteins spectrin and hemoglobin.     

Convenient methods to determine the specific radioactivity of (gamma-32P)ATP of high specific activity.

A satisfactory method for the determination of the specific activity of highly labeled [γ-³²P]ATP has not been reported previously. Yields of high specific activity ³²P labeled material usually are too small to be detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry or phosphate analysis. Recent reports describing the assay of ATP by enzyme catalyzed phosphate transfer to ³H labeled glucose (1) or galactose (2) are not suitable for use with highly labeled ³²P material since the crossover into the ³H channel will greatly exceed the radioactivity of the ³H labeled phosphate acceptor. Recently Schendel and Wells reported the preparation of essentially carrier free [γ-³²P]ATP. They indicated, however, that the specific activity of the labeled product could not be determined by conventional methods (3). We have developed and now routinely use an expedient method for the determination of the specific activity of picomole quantities of highly labeled [γ-³²P]ATP. This procedure measures the phosphate transfer from [γ-³²P]ATP to oligothymidylic acid [dT(pT)₁₀] catalyzed by bacteriophage T4 induced polynucleotide kinase. The specific activity is determined by measuring the radioactivity present in d-³²pT(pT)₁₀, and can be verified by an isotope dilution method employing the same assay. Specific activities as high as 240 Ci/mmole have been determined.     

Assay of adenosine 3', 5' cyclic monophosphate by stimulation of protein kinase: a method not involving radioactivity

In order to meet a need for a cAMP assay which is not subject to interference by compounds in plant extracts, and which is suitable for use on occasions separated by many ³²P half-lives, an assay based on cAMP-dependent protein kinase has been developed which does not require the use of [γ-³²P]ATP. Instead of measuring the cAMP-stimulated increase in the rate of transfer of [γ-³²P] phosphate from [γ-³²P]ATP to protein, the rate of loss of ATP from the reaction mixture is determined. The ATP remaining after the protein kinase reaction is assayed by ATP-dependent chemiluminescence of the firefly luciferin-luciferase system. Under conditions of the protein kinase reaction in which a readily measurable decrease in ATP concentration occurs, the logarithm of the concentration of ATP decreases in proportion to the cAMP concentration, i.e., the reaction can be described by the equation: [ATP] = [ATP]₀ e^?[cAMP]kt. The assay based on this relationship can detect less than 1 pmol of cAMP. The levels of cAMP found with this assay after partial purification of the cAMP from rat tissue, algal cells, and the media in which the cells were grown agreed with measurements made by the cAMP binding-competition assay of Gilman, and the protein kinase stimulation assay based on transfer of [³²P] phosphate from [γ-³²P]ATP to protein. All of the enzymes and chemicals required for the assay of cAMP by protein kinase catalyzed loss of ATP can be stored frozen for months, making the assay suitable for occasional use.     

Liquid scintillation counting of aqueous suspensions of microbiological specimens in a Triton X-100/toluene scintillant

The pulse height spectra and the relative efficiencies of aqueous suspensions of [³H]DNA T4D bacteriophages, of [³H]DNA Escherichia coli bacteria, and of [³²P]DNA T4D phages were measured and compared to the results of [³H]thymidine and [³²P]orthophosphate solutions, respectively. In all of our measurements a scintillation mixture based upon Triton X-100/toluene (0.5 kg/1 liter) was used. We explain the different effects of the chemical quench (e.g., by CCl₄) and of the absorption of β energy inside the specimen (e.g., phages and bacteria) on the pulse height spectra by means of Bethe's theory of electron stopping power. We measured also the dependence of the relative efficiency on the content of aqueous suspensions of [³H]DNA and [³²P]DNA phages in the sample, and compared the results to the relative efficiencies of aqueous [³H]thymidine and [³²P]orthophosphate solutions, respectively.     

Exploration of nucleotide binding sites in the mitochondrial membrane by 2-azido-[α-P]ADP

The ADP/ATP carrier of beef heart mitochondria is able to bind 2-azido-[α-³²P]ADP in the dark with a K_d value of 8 μM. 2-Azido ADP is not transported and it inhibits ADP transport and ADP binding. Photoirradiation of beef heart mitochondria with 2-azido-[α-³²P]ADP results mainly in photolabeling of the ADP/ATP carrier protein; photolabeling is prevented by carboxyatractyloside, a specific inhibitor of ADP/ATP transport. Upon photoirradiation of inside-out submitochondrial particles with 2-azido-[α-³²P]ADP, both the ADP/ATP carrier and the β subunit of the membrane-bound F₁-ATPase are covalently labeled. The binding specificity of 2-azido-[α-³²P]ADP for the β subunit of F₁-ATPase is ascertained by prevention of photolabeling of isolated F₁ by preincubation with an excess of ADP.     

Identification of the 64 kilodalton chloroplast stromal phosphoprotein as phosphoglucomutase

Phosphorylation of the 64 kilodalton stromal phosphoprotein by incubation of pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplast extracts with [γ-³²P]ATP decreased in the presence of Glc-6-P and Glc-1,6-P₂, but was stimulated by glucose. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis following incubation of intact chloroplasts and stromal extracts with [γ-³²P]ATP, or incubation of stromal extracts and partially purified phosphoglucomutase (EC 2.7.5.1) with [³²P]Glc-1-P showed that the identical 64 kilodalton polypeptide was labeled. A 62 kilodalton polypeptide was phosphorylated by incubation of tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) stromal extracts with either [γ-³²P]ATP or [³²P]Glc-1-P. In contrast, an analogous polypeptide was not phosphorylated in extracts from a tobacco mutant deficient in plastid phosphoglucomutase activity. The results indicate that the 64 (or 62) kilodalton chloroplast stromal phosphoprotein is phosphoglucomutase.     

Human erythrocyte spectrin: Phosphorylation in intact cells and purification of the 32P-labeled protein in a non-aggregated state

[³²P]spectrin (0.5 Ci/mMole) has been isolated from human erythrocytes incubated with ³²Pi and purified to homogeneity by preparative rate zonal sedimentation on linear sucrose gradients. ³²P-label, localized in band 2, co-elutes with spectrin from ghosts with a similar dependence on ionic strength and Mg⁺⁺ ion, and has the same sedimentation coefficient and an identical effective Stokes radius. [³²P]spectrin reassociates in a specific manner with spectrin-depleted membranes. Bands 1 and 2 bind in equal ratios, and the ³²P-label is distributed with band 2. Purified [³²P]spectrin is not aggregated since this protein migrates as a symmetrical peak on Sepharose(C1)4B at about 1.6 Vo and sediments at 8S_20,w on sucrose gradients.